Day 20 was interrupted by much rain and then heavy gray-ness. So, I did laundry, cleaning and organizing inside the van, and napping. I’m combining some of the limited shooting from that day with some shots from the following day.

Casey is a fun stop if you are into giant things which are scattered all over downtown (“Big Things in a Small Town”). Here are just three examples. The bird cage where you can go inside and sit on the swinging perch:

A giant mail box that you can climb the stairs and stand inside — plus, mail a letter and the red flag on the side goes up:

A giant truck key:

This giant beer can is at a bar in Altamont:

Olney is famous for its white squirrels — hence this little tribute statue:

A few stops just over the border in Indiana — this Uncle Sam (at an All-American Car Wash) is in Vincennes. For more about these statues, see my website: https://www.roadarch.com/giants/uncles.html

This 14-foot-tall Giant Man is at the Pink Elephant Antique Mall in Livingston. For more about these statues, see my website here: https://www.roadarch.com/giants/if14men.html

Also at the Pink Elephant in Livingston, this Futuro awaits restoration. I liked the previous green paintjob better. More about these fiberglass buildings at my website here: https://www.roadarch.com/modarch/futuro.html

A detail from the Pantheon Theatre in Vincennes, IN:

Moving on to some signs. Walton’s Hardware & Furniture in Jacksonville:

The downfall of this sign in Pittsfield is so sad — but not unrecoverable damage for you sign optimists out there (what a different some paint and, more unlikely, neon would make):

Also in Pittsfield – this sign was repainted around 2012 but 12 years later could use some touching-up.

This GE sign is in Highland:

This sign in Vincennes, IN is at the Cutter’s Way bar:

This Odd Fellows sign is in Winchester:

This one is in Pocahontas:

This Elks sign is in Jacksonville:

Also in Jacksonville:

This sign is in Olney:

This sign is in Effingham. Around 2020, the sign fell to the ground. Installing a sign pole in a frequently-water garden planter is a bad idea. Eventually, the pole rusts enough that it gives way and many a sign disaster has resulted. Anyhow, this time a small but mighty miracle resulted. Instead of replacing the sign with a boring backlit plastic box which is usually what happens, Double D Signs replicated the original sign with aluminum panels and new neon later that year:

The old sign being hoisted off the ground — photo from the bar’s website:

The new sign is back in the flower planter though, so, this scenario might be relived another 50 years from now:

Be back soon with more Illinois. 12 more days of photos to go from this trip.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram

Starting off with some statues: this pair of crazed, muscled-up marble lions is installed in Alton:

These Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln sculptures are installed in Alton at the site of their last debate:

This 27-foot-tall Statue of Liberty was built around 1902 and originally installed on top of a building in New York City. In 2003, it was moved to the Brooklyn Museum of Art parking lot. Last year, the statue was donated to the National Building Arts Center in Sauget where is will eventually be displayed. It’s going to cost about $50,000 to restore:

The world’s tallest man, Robert Wadlow, was born and raised in Alton — and this life-sized statue and a replica of his chair are installed in a park there:

The Bon Air opened as a bar in Alton in 1921. It has expanded considerably since 1981 when it became Fast Eddie’s Bon Air:

This theatre in Alton has been vacant since 1977:

A couple of midcentury buildings — this one in Collinsville:

And this one in Granite City:

This vacant, former Henry’s Hamburgers location in East St. Louis would have looked like this originally:

This Hen House in Mitchell has been vacant since at least 2013:

This former Tastee-Freez is in Venice:

This Oddfellows Lodge sign is in Jerseyville:

This sign in Pittsfield was repainted and the neon restored around 2021:

This sign is in Roxana:

This one is in Madison:

This sign is in Alton:

The Jacoby Furniture sign in Alton was adapted for the Jacoby Art Center in 2006:

The neon on this sign in Granite City was restored in 2020:

This hardware sign in Edwardsville:

was adapted in 2012:

This recreated local sign is installed at the It’s Electric Neon Sign Park in Granite City with two other recreated signs:

The last Mister Donut location still operating in the U.S. — in Godfrey:

Back with more Illinois soon — about 12 days & posts left for this trip.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram

Let’s start with a few statues. This lovely chicken and giant Coke bottle are among the many statues at the former Crainville Landing in Carterville. This place started out as a backyard shed business and statue seller. It evolved into a mini golf and frozen custard stand. The place has been abandoned since the owner passed away in 2019:

This panther is installed inside the high school gym in O’Fallon. The schools sports teams are the Panthers:

This Abraham Lincoln statue in Mount Vernon stands in front of a courthouse where he presented a case:

This restored Big John statue is in Eldorado. More about these statues at my website here:
https://www.roadarch.com/giants/il3.html

This former midcentury Bank of Illinois and Trust is in Mount Vernon:

Another midcentury bank: the former First National Bank in Wayne City – now the city’s Village Hall and Library:

This Art Deco building is at Sandoval Community High School in Sandoval:

This terrazzo apron is at a former Libson women’s clothing store in Belleville:

This Chuck Wagon in Fairview Heights was part of a Southern Illinois chain with about 15 locations. This is the only decently-preserved sign left (although the neon is gone). The one at the original Collinsville location has been badly adapted for a coffee place:

This ice cream stand and restaurant is in Belleville:

This clock in Belleville is at a closed used car lot along with several other nice neon signs:

This sign is in Fairfield:

Keil’s in Belleville was originally a hardware store. The hardware panel was covered over much later with this “since 1858” panel. The space now houses Blanquart’s Rusty Gem Vintage Market:

This sign is in Salem:

This sign in Belleville was knocked over in high winds in 2011 and badly bent. It was miraculously restored:

This sign is in Fairview Heights:

This vacuum form plastic soda sign in Breese is at the Excel Bottling Co.:

And lastly, the wonderful drive-in theatre sign in Belleville:

Back soon with more Illinois.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram

We’re gonna be here a while. I spent 15 days in Illinois before turning tail back to California. So, 15 posts will be coming your way over the coming weeks.

Let’s start with some buildings. This midcentury modern American Legion is in Chester. I’m not sure what the technical terms are but I have always called these “barrel roofs with legs”:

The “Dental Dome” in Du Quoin might be midcentury but a lot of these were built in the 1980s as well:

This Art Deco building in Du Quoin houses Decker Chiropractic. I haven’t been able to determine the original occupant:

A couple of heartbreaking situations. The long-closed Massac Theatre is in Metropolis:

…and the long-vacant, former Standard Oil “Red Crown” station in Vienna. The bay at the right has no roof and there are trees growing inside:

A former Phillips 66 gas station in Zeigler now houses a used car lot office and repair service:

Moving on to some statues. There are about 19 of these Popeye-themed statues in Chester. The city adds a new one every year. This is Wimpy:

These wizard statues are at Jeremy “Boo” Rochman Memorial Park in Carbondale. A very sad story turned into something good. Jeremy loved to draw wizards and dragons and he was obsessed with Dungeons and Dragons. He was killed in a car crash in 1993. This property was turned into a public park with castle-style buildings and about 30 statues based on Boo’s drawings:

The Big Muddy Monster in Murphysboro is a local legend. There’s a festival every year and a couple of sculptures:

The mascot for Southern Illinois University at Carbondale is the Saluki. This concrete sculpture is one of a pair. There are also a couple of other bronze Saluki sculptures nearby:

This giant wrench sign is in Marion. If you like giant tools (hammers, saws, and the like), I’ve got a bunch at my website here:
https://www.roadarch.com/mim/misc5.html

I’m guessing that this billboard style sign next to the highway in Du Quoin was originally built in the 1960s. There are two triangulated panels to be seen by travelers driving from both directions. I’m sure there channel letters had neon originally. The graphic display box there now probably had a readerboard with change-able letters. I wish I could find vintage photos of this one:

This sign is at Benson’s Wine Bar in Chester. The “badge” at the bottom center reads Neon Sign Co. in Herrin which must have been the dominant porcelain enamel, neon sign producer in the area as so many signs have this credit:

This modern margarita sign is in Anna at Los Dos Gallos Mexican Bar and Grill:

Another modern sign at the long closed Annex Theatre in Herrin which has been a coffee shop since around 2000:

I believe this neon dancing woman in McClure was originally created in the 1980s for a strip and drag club in Memphis, TN. There were supposedly about 7 or these created but I believe this is the only one still on public display. The club in Memphis has been vacant for years but still has a neon pair of legs over the entrance. This sign is at The Pony which closed last year. There is another location in Memphis which is still open but does not have one of these signs. But that affiliation must explain how this ended up in McClure:

This Knights of Columbus sign is in Herrin (yep, that’s another Herrin sign co. badge on the left):

This long-closed cleaners is in Benton:

And lastly — this Henrici’s Pizza and More sign is in Herrin. While it might look vintage, it was actually built in 2003 by Roth Signs. The business has been closed for a few years but this sign remains. If you like pizza chef signs, I’ve got a bunch of ’em at my website here:
https://www.roadarch.com/sca/pizza.html

Back soon with more Illinois stuff.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram